Stay In A Boutique Hotel On Your Next Trip To St. Simons Island, Golden Isles

None - ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- The perfect ingredients for a beach or coastal vacation usually involve some sand, sun and plenty of fun, but wsbtv.com headed to Brunswick and the Golden Isles to find some more ingredients to add to the mix.

The area features several world-class resorts and national chain hotels, but for guests looking for an alternative experience there are plenty of options, too.

"What separates us is our proximity to the village area, and to the pier and to the lighthouse," Missy Brandt from the Village Inn and Pub told wsbtv.com. "But we have a historical feel about us because we use the 1930s cottage to mimic the architecture throughout the property."

Southern Living magazine readers might recognize the Village Inn and Pub on St. Simons Island. The magazine has featured the quaint boutique hotel several times. The 28-room hotel is in the heart of the village. Each room provides a comfortable stay, but a little history, too.

"Each of our rooms here at the Inn are named after a famous or infamous person in St. Simons Island's history," Brandt said. "Each guest will receive a little history in their room that will let them know the story. Some of the famous people our rooms are named after are Eugenia Price, a famous author, John Wesley, founder of Methodism, and Sidney Lanier, poet, and they all have ties here to St. Simons Island."

From the historical 1930s to a world away, the Ocean Lodge on St. Simons is another option.

"The idea of doing the Old World was to start at the front door," Ocean Lodge owner Joe McDonough said. "We implanted in our Spanish porcelain tile floors that are throughout the building, inside and out, a rose compass, the same type used by the early sailors when they were coming over to the Americas in the late 1400s, 1500s and 1600s."

The Ocean Lodge features 1000-square foot suites, all individually decorated. It's a boutique hotel that operates on a bed and breakfast format. That means a full table-top breakfast is included to start the day. Then, after a day at play, head upstairs to unwind.

"(Breakfast) is a real culinary treat, and that's complimented by the tapas bar and grill that we have on top of the building on the fifth level which offers the best, very best view of all of St. Simons while you're having a great glass of wine or cold beer and a great tapas delight, anything from filet mignon to seared mahi-mahi with fresh mango relish, a sesame-encrusted tuna and a host of other delicacies from chicken to pork."